Paul Waring carded a course-record 61 at Yas Hyperlinks to open up a five-shot lead on the midway stage of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
The 39-year-old Englishman recorded the bottom rating of his DP World Tour profession to get to 19 beneath and set the the document for lowest 36-hole rating to par in Tour historical past, opening up a snug lead over first spherical chief Tommy Fleetwood, Johannes Veerman and Danish pair Thorbjørn Olesen and Niklas Norgaard.
Waring had eight birdies over his first 17 holes, additionally holing his strategy for eagle on the sixth, however saved the shot of the day for the 18th.
After a wayward drive grew to become embedded he was given a free drop however may nonetheless solely chop his second again onto the green. From 250 yards he hit an ideal fairway wooden which fed right down to 4 toes from the pin to depart a routine birdie putt.
Veerman added a 67 to his first spherical 63 to get to 14 beneath from the primary group of the day with Norgaard becoming a member of him after firing seven birdies in his bogey-free 65.
Fleetwood joined the leaders together with his 68 earlier than Waring surged forward. Olesen then added his second eagle of the day on the final to hitch the chasing pack.
In the meantime, Race to Dubai chief Rory McIlroy added a second 67 to sit down on 10 beneath par. A triple-bogey on the par-3 seventeenth undid a lot of his early good work, however he fought again with a birdie on the final to sit down 9 photographs off the lead.
Waring, who’s connected to Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai, stated: “Since transferring over to Dubai I’ve received very used to placing on these model of greens and I really feel like I can learn them nicely.
“My putter is behaving, which is usually a weak spot for me, and I really feel like Im swinging it nicely.
“Though I’ve received a pleasant lead for the time being, somebody might need caught me by the point I tee off tomorrow. Everybody continues to be going to fireside a number of birdies so if I’m going to be concerned on Sunday afternoon, I’ve nonetheless received to maintain pushing. preserve making birdies, and see the place we find yourself on Sunday night.”
For all of the scores from the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship click on right here.
